The 73rd annual NBA All-Star stage is set for Feb 18th and the lineups have recently been revealed.

Eastern Conference:

Captain: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Starting Guards: Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton

Starting Forwards: Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo

Starting Center: Joel Embiid

Reserves: Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, and Julius Randle

Western Conference:

Captain: LeBron James

Starting Guards: Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Starting Forwards: LeBron James and Kevin Durant

Starting Center: Nikola Jokic

Reserves: Devin Booker, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Karl-Anthony Towns

Who got snubbed from the starting lineups?

Eastern Conference:

Jalen Brunson

The statistics show that New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was one of the biggest All-Star Starter snubs of the year. Brunson is averaging an impressive 27.1 points per game (PPG), 3.9 rebounds per game (RPG), and 6.4 assists per game (PPG). He has also been leading the New York Knicks to the best record in the NBA since the beginning of 2024.

Now Brunson does not have the resume to compete with Tyrese Haliburton for an All-Star Starting role, however, there is a very legitimate argument for starting over guard Damian Lillard. Brunson is averaging .4 RPG and APG lower than Lillard and is also averaging .2 steals per game (SPG) lower. The debate heats up because Brunson is averaging 2 more PPG than Lillard and is making them at a much more efficient rate than Lillard. Brunson is shooting 48.1% from the field compared to Lillard’s 42.2%, and Brunson is also shooting an incredible 41.7% from three compared to Lillard’s 34.3%. Lillard does have an advantage at the free throw line, as his 92.5% beats out Brunson’s 83.5%.

The stats don’t lie, and the stats show Brunson has been a much better and more efficient scorer this season. The only reason that Lillard got the nod was simply because of the sheer amount of fan votes he received, even though Brunson was higher in player and media votes by a considerable amount.

Donovan Mitchell:

Even though Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has missed some games that have hurt his All-Star stock, he is still having an All-Star starter-caliber season. Mitchell is averaging 28.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 6.4 APG. He is also one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, ranking second in the NBA with 1.9 SPG and ranking third in defensive rating. Currently, Mitchell is leading the Cavaliers to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Once again, he is having a far better season than Lillard. Mitchell is averaging more PPG, RPG, SPG, blocks per game (BPG), field goal percentage, and three-point percentage. The only stats that Lillard leads in are APG as he is only .4 higher than Mitchell, and free-throw percentage where Lillard shoots 7% better.

Mitchell lost player and fan voting to Lillard, but won media voting. This gave Lillard a slightly higher weighted score, granting him the All-Star Starting role.

Western Conference:

Nobody, it’s perfect.

Who got snubbed from the game altogether?

Eastern Conference:
Trae Young:

With the incredible year, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is having, it almost feels like a crime to have him listed this far down the article. So Young not being an All-Star? Borderline criminal given his numbers. Young is averaging 27.1 PPG and 11 APG, as he ranks second in the NBA to Haliburton in APG. This combined with a 43% field goal percentage and 37.5% three-point percentage proves that Young is still one of the league’s best offensive guards in the NBA. So why was he not selected? His team’s record and the logjam of guards in the East.

As mentioned, guards like Mitchell, Brunson, and even 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey make a better case for their All-Start chances by winning more games as a key contributor. Atlanta is currently 10th in the Eastern Conference standings and is a team that is actively looking to sell some assets such as Dejounte Murray for a possible rebuild. This isn’t a great look for Young as he is seen as the “leader” of the team given his playmaking abilities. Coaches who vote on reserves see this and tend to vote more for players who are leading their teams to more wins.

Western Conference:

De’Aaron Fox

Sometimes this season it’s been hard to tell if De’Aaron Fox is really the same person with how well he is shooting the ball. He has had a complete shot revamp that has jumped his three-point percentage from 32.4% last season to 37.7% this season. Fox is averaging 27.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.4 APG, and is one of the top defensive guards in the league with 1.7 SPG. With all this said, he is leading the Sacramento Kings to the fifth seed in the Western Conference. So with all this, most would think there’s no way he’s not an All-Star, right?

Somehow that’s not the case. As mentioned above, coaches who vote for reserves typically factor in the player’s team’s record when making these decisions. So explain then why Stephen Curry gets in over Fox? Curry barely averages more PPG and beats Fox statistically in only three-point percentage. But his team is 12th in the Western Conference and is six games behind the Kings. Looking at this, it kind of turns into a popularity party instead of who is truly more deserving.

Domantas Sabonis

Come on, the league should absolutely love Domantas Sabonis because he is basically just a mini Nikola Jokic. We’re talking about a guy who’s averaging 20 PPG, 13 RPG, and 8 APG. A walking triple-double, Sabonis accompanies these statistics with an impressive 61.7% field goal percentage and 44.2% three-point percentage. It’s crazy how modern-day NBA players can put up numbers like this and not be an All-Star.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns trails Sabonis in every major statistical category except points and free-throw percentage. He averages about 5 RPG and APG less than Sabonis. The only aspect that Towns has going for him is his incredibly high efficiency with the shot selection and volume he has. In fact, Towns is very close to being on track for a 50/40/90 season, which would be only the 15th time it was done in NBA history.

The NBA All-Star will be played on Feb. 18th in Indianapolis, Indiana. The lights will be the brightest for the NBA’s 73rd annual game. The weekend will also feature events such as the Panini Rising Stars game, the Ruffles Celebrity game, the Kia Skills Challenge, the Starry 3-Point Contest, and the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest.